Manuel Akanji suggests he could RETIRE at end of the season as Man City star hits out at 'so tough' football calendar ahead of Champions League kick-off

The 29-year-old joined City from Borussia Dortmund in September 2022 and since then has played 127 games for the club and his country, Switzerland. After making seven appearances already this season for Pep Guardiola's men, the defender has raised his concerns about the "tough" football schedule ahead - which now includes an expanded Champions League competition.

He said: "It's so tough. You don't just think about this season - but also next season. Let's say we win the league or cup, then go to the final of the Club World Cup; the Community Shield is three weeks after. So when do we have holidays? There are no breaks in winter, so if we are lucky we get two weeks and then we need to be back and into next season. Then the next summer it's the World Cup. There's no end to it.

"It's just game after game and I don't know how it will work out over the next couple of years. You can't just keep adding game after game and assume everything will be like it was. You have to think about the players as well. At some point you'll be too tired to play any more games. And then come injuries, definitely. We train as hard as possible and we are fit – but there has to be a limit. Maybe I'll retire at 30!"

Akanji is the second City player to hit out at football's "absolutely absurd" schedule. Bernardo Silva said he now has "very little time" with his family due to the hefty fixture list and a study recently found that elite players are having as little as 12 per cent of the calendar year off (less than one day a week). If that keeps up, players may burn out, pick up an injury, or retire earlier than intended.

Akanji, who played in City's 2-1 win over Brentford on Saturday, will be back in Pep Guardiola's squad in this season's expanded Champions League tournament - which begins on Wednesday for the Premier League champions when they come up against Inter Milan in one of eight first-phase games.